


A Katolian witch trial

by Flexor



Series: The Crow And The Night [2]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Claudia is not okay, Corvus doesn't care too much, Extrajudicial executions, F/M, HappyFunSexyTiem, Nyx is still not a good girl, Until more canon emerges., Witch Trials, canon compatible
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 22:07:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30045480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flexor/pseuds/Flexor
Summary: I love Nyx and Corvus, really I do. And you know what they say about the ones you love...We find Mr. Corvus scouting ahead of Soren's company of mounted knights, mainly to get away from the noise. Entering a little village near the Breach he finds the good townspeople are busy beating someone to death for aledgedly killing a child by witchcraft. Just because she's not from here, is a filthy murdering elf, and has wings.Soren arrives a little later, and finds himself having to conduct an honest-to-goodness witch trial.Honestly, I just wanted to write a bit of simple smut with added feathers. It turned into a story about witch-hunting, and accepting people for what and who they are. So there.
Relationships: Corvus/Nyx (The Dragon Prince)
Series: The Crow And The Night [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2210247
Comments: 7
Kudos: 5





	A Katolian witch trial

Corvus did not like travelling in large companies. Being a master tracker, he was supposed to stalk his prey, strike from the shadows, pass unseen, unheard. There was hardly anything less stealthy than a dozen mounted knights in full plate armor clanking along the roads near the Breach, the fiery border between Katolis and Xadia. Corvus had told Soren, the company's commander, that he would go and scout ahead to warn them of any danger.

"What danger?"

"I won't know till I find it."

With the elven-human wars over, and at least the semblance of peace between the nations, danger failed to present itself. No fire breathing dragons. No dark mages. No invisible elven assassins, at least none he could see. He stopped a moment, stroked his horse's neck. It was still the same horse he had taken home with him as spoils of war from his expedition to catch and eliminate the renegade dark mages. He'd named him Bayard. Bayard wasn't fast, but he was big and strong. Corvus stood up in his stirrups and looked ahead. About a mile up the road, there was a village. There might be an inn there. That could be dangerous. The beer could be bad. He owed it to his fellow soldiers to investigate. He nudged Bayard into a trot, and rode into town.

It was... busy.

Lots of people were out, clearly upset about something. They seemed to be gathered around one particular place. Corvus' eyes narrowed. What was going on? He looked where everyone was, and his heart turned cold. A half dozen men were beating with sticks someone lying on the ground. The crowd was cheering them on.

Corvus gave a mighty shout and pulled out his chain weapon. He spurred on Bayard and a ton of pure horse muscle and bone galloped forward, scattering people left and right. Leaping off, he swung his chain round, keeping everyone away from the slender figure lying on the ground, arms over her head... and wings round herself. He had to look twice to make sure, but there was no mistake.

" _Nyx?!_ "

One of the large men came forward. Corvus spun his chain round, launched it at his face, stopping only a hair's breadth short. He gave him a dark look.

"Stay back. Or else." He knelt down, touched Nyx' shoulder. "Nyx? Can you fly?"

Nyx looked at him with large frightened eyes, shook her head. "Wing... br... wrong." She tried to move and a flash of pain was on her face. "Can't..."

"Easy now, Fly-girl. I'll get you out of here."

Nyx tried to say something, but couldn't.

"Why are you defending _that_?"

Ah. Someone with some sort of authority had pushed forward. He was a thick-set man with greying hair. He had some kind of farming tool in his hand. Corvus stood in front of him.

"Who are you, and why are you beating this young woman?"

The man scowled. "I am Mayor Garth, and _that_ thing murdered one of our children."

Corvus frowned, looked over his shoulder at Nyx, who frantically shook her head.

"Well Mayor Garth, I am Corvus, adjudant to General Amaya of the Standing Battalion, and claims of that sort need to be proven."

One of the other men edged forward and raised his weapon at Nyx. Corvus turned round _fast_ and the blades on his chain struck the man in the arm. He cried out, dropped his stick and clutched his bloody arm.

"Stay _back_. I am _not_ warning anyone again."

"Warn all you want," Mayor Garth said. "Seems to me there's more of us then there is of you. We _will_ have justice."

"Oh you will have justice all right." Corvus gave the mayor a hard look. "If you attack an officer of the Katolian army, then you will land in more trouble than you can stomach."

" _Gentlemen!_ "

Soren had a wonderfully clear loud voice. He was sitting on his horse, and behind him was a row of ten mounted soldiers with spears. Pointing up. They weren't pointing at anyone except maybe passing birds, dragons, and Skywing elves, but it was clear that when they started pointing down, it would be bad news for whoever was in front. Next to Soren was a slender female rider in a dark dress, a hood hiding her face. Soren's sister Claudia.

"Who, may I ask, is in charge of this... festival? Can we join?"

There was some shuffling of feet until Corvus pushed the Mayor forward.

"He means you, asshole."

"Ah." Soren got off his horse and walked over to the Mayor with a bright smile on his face. "Thank you Corvus. And you are?"

"I am Garth. The elected mayor of this town."

"Good good. I am sure that in all this town, there isn't a better man for the job. _Or_ woman." He looked at Corvus. "That was _sarcasm._ "

"Very good Sir."

Soren turned back to Mayor Garth. "I am Captain Soren of the Crown Guard. What is this all about then?"

Mayor Garth straightened his back. "Captain, this man of yours interrupted us when we were in progress of apprehending a sky-elf who has cruelly murdered one of our innocent children."

"Hmm." Soren raised an eyebrow at Corvus. "Is that so?"

"Broadly, Sir," Corvus had returned to Nyx' side, one arm round her. "They were not 'apprehending' her, they were beating her to death. And I know this elf. She is not one to murder children. Do you remember the township of Emberglow?"

"I do." Claudia came riding forward slowly. "It was purged in the run-up to the Great Conflict by dark mages. Those mages were sentenced to death _in absentia_ for their crimes. Weren't you after them, Corvus?"

"I was." Corvus pointed at Nyx. "This brave elven woman helped me. I destroyed the Changed Ones, she killed the mages. Emberglow owes her a debt of gratitude. Or would, if there were any survivors. She is a warrior, not a murderer." He scowled. "Other than that, they're spot on."

"Very good," Soren had spent the last few years learning about sarcasm and could now spot it without fail. He turned back to Mayor Garth with a friendly smile on his face that somehow wasn't very comforting. "This... party looks to me more like a hanging mob than police officers doing their duties, wouldn't you agree?"

"Tell that to the poor bereaved mother who now has to bury her three months old baby, murdered by..." the Mayor waved a hand. "That thing there."

"Were you going to give this woman a fair trial?" Soren put his hand on the pommel of his sword and leaned in. "That's traditional, isn't it? Fair trials?"

"Oh she's guilty alright. Why else would she try to escape when we came for her? The innocent have nothing to fear!"

"Really? Has she been _found_ guilty? In one of those courts of law? That comes _before_ the putting-to-death bit, I'm sure I read that somewhere."

"Well..."

"I see." In the blink of an eye, all the smiles disappeared from Soren's face. "Then she _is_ innocent. And from the state of her, it's clear that she had plenty to fear from you yokels."

"If it's a trial you want, a trial you'll get. By the power invested in me as an elected..."

Soren waved his finger in the elected official's face. "Murdering babies is a capital crime. You need to be _really_ sure she's done it because you can't un-execute someone. That is why the King, long may he reign over us, has _not_ invested anything like that in you. Let me see if I am seeing this right. You are thinking of you and twelve of your friends here shouting at her for an hour or so what a bad person she is, and _then_ killing her. Is that what you think will happen?"

One of the others stepped forward, brandishing a saw. "We will cut off one of its wings so that whenever it tries to fly, it'll know the price of murdering our children."

Soren reached out, grabbed the saw by the sharp end, pulled it out of the man's hand, and casually tossed it into the crowd. "No you won't. This is what will happen. I myself will hold a court-martial. If I find her guilty, I will take her to the Castle for further trial. If not, then she will be free to go."

"Soren!" Corvus was holding Nyx in his arms. "She's slipping. She needs help." He turned back to Nyx. "Stay with me, Fly-girl."

Soren looked round the place, pointed at a free-standing house. "Who lives there?"

An older woman came forward raising her hand. Soren pointed at three soldiers.

"Pike. Gerald. Rhodes. Help Corvus get her inside. Careful. Ma'am? You have a guest."

Claudia dismounted slowly. "I will help her."

"Good." Soren looked back at the rest of his soldiers. "You guard the place. Anyone comes near, kill them." 

Soren, Corvus, and the other soldiers gently lifted Nyx up between them, keeping her as straight as they could. Nyx' eyes were half closed, and tiny whimpers of pain came from her. The woman opened the door for them, and led them to her own bed. They gently, softly, laid her down. Corvus kneeled by her head, took her hand.

"Shh, Fly-girl. It's going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine."

"Corvus." Claudia put her hand on his shoulder. "Give me some room."

He looked at her. Claudia. Soren's sister. Daughter of Viren, who was possibly the most vile person he had ever known. A lifetime ago, she had been pretty. Beautiful even. But months of heavy use of Dark Magic had changed her. Her face, once gentle and healthy, had cracked and dried out, crossed with veins that never carried blood. Her hair had turned completely white. Her eyes darkened by what they had seen. There was a solution for that, of course. Crack a butterfly between your fingers and within a moment, you would be the fairest in the land, hiding who and what you were. Claudia no longer wished to hide who she had become. She had been released to her brother, who was charged never again to let her roam the lands of Katolis on her own. She had sworn the rest of her life to setting right the evils wrought by herself, and Dark Mages like her father.

She stood in front of the bed, raised her arms over Nyx. Her eyes fluttered open, and she tried to scream but couldn't. Her mouth moved, trying to make words.

"D-dark... dark... no. Please. Don't."

Claudia bent over her, touched her hair. "Don't be afraid. I will heal your injuries. It will only take a moment."

"Please... no!"

Claudia said nothing, stood up straight, held up her hands. The purple glow took her eyes, and she spoke an incantation that seemed to come from a place deeper and farther away than mere distance.

" _Niaga ylf ot nrael dna sgniw nekorb eseht ekat!_ "

Nyx' body radiated the same purple light that shone from Claudia's eyes, and she screamed. Her body tightened, then dropped back onto the blankets. Nyx started to shake, and she cried with great uncontrollable sobs. Claudia stumbled back and Soren grabbed her shoulders, kept her from falling. She pulled her hood over her face, and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Nyx held out her hand.

Claudia turned back to her. "Yes?"

"What did you use?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know how Dark magic works. To work your spells, you must consume living things. What did you use? What is my debt?"

Claudia shook her head. "That is not your debt. It is mine. Please never get hurt again."

"I have to know. Please tell me."

Claudia looked at Nyx with eyes that would never again be other than dark. "Three rats, and a crow. Skin and bones are easy. The wings were the hardest. You will fly again."

Soren, Claudia, and the other soldiers started to walk out. Corvus stepped up.

"Soren." He looked over his shoulder. "I don't want her to be alone. I'd help you guard this place, but..."

"Go." Soren glanced at Claudia. "I know what it's like when everybody hates the ones you love. We are the Crown Guard. We can keep a bunch of townsfolk away."

_Ones you love?_ Corvus put that thought away for later.

"Thanks."

"No problem, my dude." Soren grinned. "And tomorrow I get to do an honest to goodness _witch trial_!" 

* * *

Nyx was sitting on the bed, arms wrapped round her knees, looking at nothing. Corvus sat down with her.

"Hey Fly-girl."

Nyx turned her odd-coloured eyes to him briefly before looking away. Corvus touched her shoulder, but she shrugged him off.

"You okay, Nyx?"

"I am in a town full of humans." Nyx closed her eyes. "And they all want me dead. Every human on that whole stinking square. Every single one of them."

"I'm sorry."

" _Why?_ I haven't done anything to these people."

"Yet." Corvus couldn't help himself.

Nyx sneered. "I'm not _thick_. I'm a thief. I'm a cheat. I nick your stuff, you're going to be pissed off at me. My hands aren't clean of blood either. I kill one of yours, you'll want to kill me. I _get_ that. It's part of what I do, who I am." Nyx put her head on her arms. "But using Sky magic to make a little child sick, so that it'll cry itself to death from the pain? _What makes them think I'd do such a thing?_ "

"A mother just lost a child. Had to watch it die. She desperately needed something to blame. Someone." Corvus looked into Nyx' eyes. "And there you were."

"I can't do anything like that! I'm not a mage! At most I can conjure up a little extra puff of wind. And even if I could..." She sobbed. "I bloody wouldn't! I don't bloody hurt bloody children!" She stabbed her finger at the door. "And _those_ bastards just use me as a... a..." She threw herself at Corvus, arms round his neck. "They were going to _kill_ me! They _were_ killing me! For _nothing_! And to top it all off, I'm alive now because of star-cursed dark magic! _Am_ I even still alive? Maybe I won't even make it out of here."

Corvus put his arms round Nyx, held her to him. "Nobody's going to hurt you again. I'm here, and I won't let them. What's that thing you elves say? I bind myself to seeing you home safely."

Nyx made a sound somewhere between a sob and a laugh. "That's a thing Moonshadow assassins do. And they're a bunch of bloody idiots. Their mission gets fragged, they can only sit around and watch their limbs fall off." She drew her hand across her face. "You have no reason to help me. Last time, I stole your share."

"No you didn't. I'd have given it to you. Thanks to you I recovered those lost souls. And I got a horse out of the deal. We good. Try to get some sleep. Busy day tomorrow."

Nyx lay down and Corvus pulled a blanket over her.

"Going to be convicted of magicking a child to death. Coming here was the stupidest thing I ever did." She turned over, onto her stomach first so as not to squash her wings. "And I've done some stupid things in my life, believe me."

"Soren knows all about witches." He stroked her hair. "And he knows as well as I do you aren't one. You're going home tomorrow. You have my word."

"Anything keeping me from flying off right now?"

"You'd drop Soren in the shit if you did. And he's trying to help you."

Nyx smiled. "Ain't many people wanting to help me. Got to be careful with the ones who do."

Her eyes closed, and a few minutes later, she was asleep. Corvus watched her for a while, then pulled up a chair, sat down and kept watch. 

* * *

The court-martial was held outside in the town square for everyone to see. Soren's soldiers were keeping people at a distance. Soren was sitting at a table, notebook in front of him. A wooden hammer lay next to it, the closest thing to a gavel they had. Nobody had told him Katolian judges don't use gavels. Nyx was standing behind a table, a bit off to one side. She looked more of a mess than she actually was. A belt round her waist kept her from opening her wings. Her hands were tied together and Corvus stood next to her, holding the rope, looking dark, gloomy, and official.

Soren hammered on the table. "Naimi-Selari-Nykantia. You stand accused of murdering with elven magics little Maisie Dors, daughter of Winifred Dors. How do you plead?"

Nyx seemed to shrink. "Innocent Sir. I am innocent! I am no witch!"

"Who says otherwise?"

A woman came forward.

"And you are..." Soren made a show of looking at his notes. "Winifred Dors? Widow of Archibald Dors?"

"Yes Sir."

Corvus looked at Mrs. Dors. Her face looked fallen in, lined with grief. Her small child would be buried in five days, after the traditional seven nights of mourning. Her eyes were dull, all the joy in them snuffed out. In the space of a few months, she had lost her husband, and now her child. Her life was in tatters. Corvus couldn't help feeling sorry for her. But that didn't mean destroying someone else's life would make it any better.

"What are the signs that this elf has done this?"

"My poor little child fell ill a week ago, and wouldn't eat, couldn't sleep, could not..." She took a shivering breath. "Could not stop crying. Then yesterday morning we found her, asleep we thought. But she wasn't breathing. She was dead."

Soren gave her a long look. "Mrs. Dors. I am so very sorry this has happened to you, and our thoughts and prayers are with you. But why do you think this elf had a hand in this?"

"When we cut open my poor Maisie's pillow, we saw a wreath of feathers! A sure sign that my little girl was cursed by a witch." Mrs. Dors' teeth bared and she stabbed out a finger. "By _that witch_! She has murdered my Maisie!"

"Thank you Mrs. Dors. I have no further questions." Soren made a few notes, looked up. "Calling as an expert witness. Claudia, Mage of Katolis."

Claudia walked in front of Soren's table. She gave a slight nod.

"Captain?"

"How would an elf make a baby sick to kill it?"

"May I ask the defendant a question?"

"Sure. Go ahead."

Claudia turned to Nyx. "Are you a Skywing elf?"

When Corvus had asked her that a while ago, it had been funny. Nyx bowed her head.

"Yes Ma'am."

Claudia turned back to Soren. "Being a Skywing elf, she is born with the essence of the Sky Arcanum, the Primal Source of Air, inside her. Because she is fully attuned to it, the primal source will have nothing beside it within the same soul. There is nothing within the Sky Arcanum that could cause disease. She could never have done this." _You idiots_. Claudia didn't say that, but she thought it hard enough to be heard even at the back.

The Mayor pushed forward. "Then how do you explain this sudden sickness?"

"I don't. I don't need to explain it. It is a disease. People get sick. It happens. All I need to say here is that this elf could not have caused it." Claudia turned her eyes to the Mayor. "Only a Dark Mage could."

Soren hammered on the table. "I know enough. I find the defendant not guilty of child killing." He turned his gaze to Nyx. "But I do find you guilty of disturbing the peace in this... um. Peaceful town. It is my sentence that you are _banished_ from this place, and taken from here to the Breach and across it, never to return to these lands! This court-martial is... is..."

"Adjourned," said Claudia.

"Over! Corvus. Take her away."

Corvus nodded, a grim look on his face. "At once, Sir." 

Someone had brought Bayard, and Corvus pulled on the rope tied to Nyx' hands. He jumped into the saddle, twisted the rope round the pommel, and rode off. Nyx cried out as she was pulled away. She tripped, fell over, and was dragged along a few yards. Corvus stopped, looked back.

"Get up."

Nyx struggled to her feet, and they set off again, Nyx stumbling behind the horse.

Claudia stood next to Soren, held his arm, leaned into him.

"You okay, Clauds?"

Claudia nodded. She looked at Corvus and Nyx as they passed out of sight, a faint smile on her dried lips. "A crow and three rats. And just look at them go."

Soren put his arm round her. "Why didn't you tell her the truth?"

"She would have pitied me."

He looked at her. Somewhere underneath all that, she was still his sister. He took off his cloak, wrapped it round her shoulders.

"Let's get out of here." 

* * *

Corvus stopped his horse and waited for Nyx to catch up. He reached down and undid the belt round her wings. She flapped them, looked up at him, shook her head sadly.

"You cruel, _cruel_ , heartless human."

"Hard isn't it? Walking behind a horse. You want to keep the rope a bit slack, but not so slack that you trip over it. Take it from someone who's done it."

Corvus reached down and pulled Nyx up in the saddle. She put her bound arms round him. Bayard looked round at Corvus with one sad brown eye.

"Oh don't give me that. You're named after a horse that could carry four knights in full plate. She weighs almost nothing."

Bayard didn't dignify that with an answer. Corvus clicked his tongue and they trotted off. He started to untie the rope round Nyx' wrists. She put her chin on his shoulder.

"Leave it on for a bit. It's kinda hot."

Corvus frowned. "Wot?"

Nyx laughed and with her teeth pulled at that strange little flap of skin humans had under their round ears.

"You could use me for every kind of depraved purpose. I am completely at your mercy."

"Fly-girl, what's come over you all of a sudden?"

Fly-girl pressed herself into his back. She didn't have all that much to work with in the chest department, but what she had, she used well.

"I'm _alive_. I thought I was going to die, and now I'm riding a horse with a delicious human."

"Oo! I'm _delicious_. Nobody ever called me that before." Corvus grinned ahead of him. "Oh by the way. Soren asked me to tell you. You're not really banished. He doesn't have the power to judge you any more than Mayor Asshole does. This whole trial was nothing more than a piece of street theatre."

"Oh my. Does that mean I can return whenever I want? To the place where everybody wants to..." She sniffed. " _Saw my flipping wings off?_ I've no words for how happy I am."

"Just because you can..."

"Doesn't mean I should. Got it." 

They fell silent as they rode to the Breach. They made for the place where Viren had used a whole dragon's horn to part the flow of lava so the Katolian forces could pass through. Afterwards, humans had come with barrels of explosive and blown up the walls, restoring the flow. They had built a long suspension bridge, deliberately built so it couldn't hold more than, say, a single heavy horse, a human, and a featherweight Skywing elf.

Corvus tried to lead Bayard across.

Bayard told him in Horse what he could do with _that_ idea.

"Oh come on."

Corvus pulled at the reins. Bayard weighed two thousand pounds. Corvus weighed less than two hundred. Bayard stayed where he was. Nyx sat cross-legged on Bayard's hindquarters, watching the negotiations with amused interest.

"We've done this before, remember? Coming the other way. Rocinante was with us. _She_ just walked across like it's nothing."

Nyx could have pointed out that she could just fly across, thanks for the ride, but she had plans with this human so she didn't. She jumped to the ground.

"Can I try?"

"Go for it."

Nyx stood in front of Bayard and raised her wings around his head, putting them both in a cocoon of feathers. She stroked his forehead.

"Hey. I remember you. You were pulling a trailer. This is much nicer isn't it? Running about the place with crow boy here. I can see he takes good care of you." Nyx slowly walked backwards and Bayard followed her. "Now I know, this is a scary bridge. Me, I'd never walk across it if I didn't have to. But I promise you..." She put her feet on the bridge, kept her wings round Bayard's head. Bayard kept following her, step by step. "I promise you. On the other side of that bridge, there is the best, greenest, juiciest grass you've ever tasted. Or maybe a nice warm stable, wouldn't that be lovely?"

Corvus watched in awe as Nyx slowly, gently, coaxed and cajoled a beast twenty times her own weight across a burning river of lava. After maybe five minutes, they reached the other side. Nyx and Bayard walked on a few dozen more steps, then she lowered her wings and put a kiss on his big muzzle.

"You're a good boy."

Bayard agreed. He _was_ a good boy, and fully deserving of a few lumps of sugar. He looked at his human, usually the source of sweet treats. Corvus pulled out the bag, and handed a few to Nyx, who put them on the flat of her hand and held it up to Bayard while stroking his mane.

"You're really good with animals."

Nyx wiggled her eyebrows. "Rawr." She touched her cheek to Bayard's head, stroking him. "I love beasts. Treat them well, and they'll love you forever. They'll never hate you, never cheat you, never let you down. Even the biting ones, like banthers or hotcats. They don't _hate_ you, they just need to eat. Beasts are better than people." She picked up the reins, gave them to Corvus. "Better than me."

Corvus got into the saddle. Nyx flapped her wings once and leapt up behind him.

"Where to, Fly-girl?"

"North." Nyx rested her cheek against his back. "Then east. I know a place."

Bayard walked off at a gentle trot. Nyx looked up. "Oh. Except for soulfangs. They can all get squashed for all I care. Nasty little creeps."

"Sounds like you met some."

"I work in the Midnight Desert sometimes. Place is crawling with them." She laughed. "They scare the willies out of people, so they're willing to pay me lots to carry them across on my ambler. Amblers really don't give a toss about soulfangs."

"Prince Callum told me he crossed the desert on an ambler once."

"Really?" Nyx' voice dripped with innocence.

"Yeah. Bringing Prince Azymondias back to his mother."

"What a nice boy."

"Him and Rayla. She's a Moonshadow elf."

"Uh huh?"

"Rayla said the driver tried to steal Zym from them."

"Little _shit!_ Did they catch her?"

"Zym zapped her with lightning and got away."

"Well done the little bugger." Nyx said. "Dropped me right in between the bloody soulfangs. Thought I was done for, I did." She looked into the distance. "And then that Moonshadow girl went and put herself in danger, slicing them up like nobody's business, and pulled me out of there."

Corvus' jaw dropped. He looked over his shoulder. "That was _you?_ "

"Small world ain't it?" Nyx ran her fingers over Corvus' chest. "Just when you've given up on people, human or elf, someone comes along who treats you better than you have any right to expect."

"She could have left you there as a warning to other cheats."

"I know. The boy was gushing all over her, what a hero she was. Me, I think she just likes slashing up things. When I met her, the first thing she did was point something sharp at me. She's a belligerent little sod."

"Prince Callum loves her." Corvus thought back to when he'd first met Rayla. "And yeah, she _is_ a belligerent little sod."

"She still gets free rides across the desert whenever she asks." 

* * *

They rode through a forest where a hundred little adoraburrs hitched a ride on Bayard's legs until Corvus got off and shooed them away. They came to a grassy opening with a lake. Nyx tapped Corvus' shoulder.

"Stop here."

She jumped down and took a few steps to the edge of the lake, spread her wings wide, tilted back her head. For a whole minute, she simply stood there, breathing. She turned round, and her face was shining with joy.

"I'm home." She walked up to Corvus. "There's something I have to do. Don't go away now, I won't be a minute." She raised her foot. "Give us a boost, Squire?"

Corvus cupped his hands in front of him and Nyx stepped on. Corvus gave a mighty heave and launched her into the air. With powerful wingbeats, Nyx rose up, up, _up_ , till she was only a small figure against the red and blue evening sky. For an eternal moment, she just seemed to hang there, one knee pulled up, not moving. She _screamed_ , flipped up her legs and went into a dive over the lake, faster and faster until she looped back up, coming to a full stop at the top of the curve. Once more, she dived, and soared just a foot or two above the water. She dipped her hand in, leaving a V-shaped wake behind her. At the edge of the lake she beat her wings for altitude, reached out to Corvus. Corvus raised his arm and slapped her hand as she stormed past. He turned round as Nyx turned a tight corner and came hurtling back at him, eyes aglow, as if she was going to barrel straight into him. At the last possible moment, she hit the brakes, gave a loud yell, and reached out to him, arms and legs. Corvus found he suddenly had his arms full of Skywing elf. Nyx was breathing hard, grinning at him. She pressed her lips onto his for a long kiss.

"Corvus. You saved my life yesterday. If it wasn't for you, I'd still be there in that shithole, dying inch by inch, prob'ly being plucked alive. So here's me telling you. If there's anything, _anything_ I can do for you, anything I can help you with, anything I can get you, just ask." She bit her lip. "And just in case you're wondering, yes. That _does_ include shagging you silly."

Corvus looked at the glorious package of contradictions in his arms that was Naimi-Selari-Nykantia. Nyx. She'd had her hair dyed a light sea-blue to bring out the colour in one of her eyes. But that was a while ago, and it had started to grow out. Her natural hair colour was pitch black. Corvus liked ravens, obviously. With her still clinging on to him, he touched her cheek.

"All I wanted was to see that smile again," he said. "But I'm not stupid. If you want to fuck my brains out, I'm not stopping you."

Nyx put her feet back on the ground, nodded across the lake. "I saw a fishing hut stable boathouse sort of thing on the other side of the lake. Want me to go find something soft to lie down on?" Without waiting for an answer, she turned round, leapt into the air.

"Hey!" Corvus shouted. "How will I find you?"

Nyx turned and hovered, wings flapping fast. "Track me!"

"Through the _air_?"

"You're a master tracker! You'll find a way!" She flew off, cackling with laughter.

Bayard looked at Corvus without comment. Corvus stroked his neck.

"Yeah, that's women for you. Promise you their favours, then they fly off into the blue." He leapt into the saddle. "Let's go round the lake." 

Corvus was riding, keeping the lake to his right. Fly-girls don't leave footprints, but a fishing shack shouldn't be too hard to find. To his left, the forest looked green and dark. To his right, the lake was still, reflecting the setting sun. Colours in Xadia always seemed somehow to be more radiant, more intense. Even the colour of simple sand.

He blinked.

No, there was no mistake.

On the sand lay a blue and brown piece of cloth. As he rode closer, it showed itself to be a linen chest piece hardened by soaking many layers of fabric in wine and salt. Commonly worn by Skywing elves, it was lightweight for flying, but offered surprisingly good protection against edged weapons and arrows. Turning it round, Corvus saw that it was open at the back, making it totally worthless against back-stabbing attacks. Why would this be? As a tracker, Corvus' mind was a finely honed instrument for completing pictures, even when most of the pieces were missing.

His teeth bared in a big grin.

He put the chest piece in his saddlebag and rode on. A little bit further, he found a pair of thigh-high boots. Then a pair of arm pieces. A brown sleeveless vest hanging on a tree branch. A blue and white cotton shirt. Corvus made some mental calculations. It stood to reason that once he had enough clothes for one elf, he would most likely find the elf. Riding on, he could tell from the tailoring on a pair of elven breeches that the wearer must have very nice legs. A soft white cotton undershirt soon joined his collection. It was getting dark, and one final item of clothing later, he could see smoke rising up a few hundred yards ahead.

A, as they say, ha. 

* * *

Corvus rode up to a wooden house built on the edge of the lake. There was a jetty leading out into the lake, but no boats. The large stable doors were open, and as he led Bayard inside, he could see three horse boxes. One of them had its door open and a lit lamp above it. There was hay in the rack. A bucket of water in the corner. Corvus patted Bayard's shoulder.

"Someone knew we were coming, my lad. Seems whoever it was didn't want me to spend too much time on you."

Bayard gave him a _look_.

"What do you mean?" Corvus pulled off the saddle and dropped it on the floor. He nudged Bayard into the box. The hay was fresh, and the water was cool. "Of course I would have taken care of you first. Name me one time when I haven't."

Bayard gave a snort and continued on his hay.

"Yes, she _is_ hot. But come on. You're my trusty steed! There's a special place in hell for people who don't look after their trusty steed."

Bayard just swished his tail. Whatever.

Someone coughed. Corvus looked round to see a slender elf standing there. She had her wings wrapped modestly round her, her hands in front of her breasts, and she looked at him with large gleaming eyes, one a light blue, the other a light brown.

"Kind Sir?" She turned her eyes down. "Something terrible has happened. I was flying along, and a savage wind blew away all my clothes. Could you please help me find them? I would be ever so grateful."

"Fear not, fair Lady," said Corvus, opening his saddlebag. "I have already found all your clothes. Soon, you will be clothed and warm again."

Nyx smirked. "Oh _thank_ you my good human! So many would have found... _other ways_ of warming me." She pointed over her shoulder, quickly put her hand back over her breast. "Perhaps in yonder stack of hay. It would tickle my bare skin so."

"I imagine it would, my Lady. Stacks of hay can be prickly, especially yonder ones." He put the saddlebag at Nyx' feet. "Please dress yourself, while I avert my eyes from your soft naked flesh."

Nyx looked down at the saddlebag, then back up at Corvus, who had his hands in front of his eyes. Mostly.

"Good Sir? Are you sure you would not wish me to express my gratitude _before_ I clothe myself?"

"Madam!" Corvus glared at her. "Me? Take advantage of a helpless Lady in her hour of need? What sort of a scoundrel do you take me for?"

"Oh by the Stars and Sky!" Nyx rolled her eyes. She spread her wings wide, dropped her hands to her hips. "Corvus! Will you shut up and fuck me already?"

"Well, if you put it _that_ way..." 

Nyx grabbed Corvus' belt. She stepped back as she undid the buckle. With a jerk, she pulled his trousers down to his ankles, underpants and all. She gave him a push and, unable to move his feet, he fell over into the hay. The next moment Nyx was on top of him, joined to him. A fierce hungry light was in her eyes, and she rode him, hard, fast, without even bothering to take his shirt off. He looked at her, the white markings on her purple skin, shining with sweat. Her face turned up, eyes looking at the ceiling, a wild smile on her cheeks. She turned her gaze down to him, their eyes met, and Corvus rose up, put his arms round her shoulders, kissed her because there was nothing in the world that could have stopped him. They looked into each other's eyes, breathing hard.

"Mind your wings," he breathed.

Nyx wrapped them round him and he rolled her over onto her back without losing contact. He kicked his trousers away, ripped off his shirt, lowered himself on top of her. She held him, arms, legs, wings all wrapped round him. The touch of soft feathers on his bare behind set him off, and he pushed into her with all his strength, the look in her eyes demanding, and getting, more. She held him tighter, dug her fingernails into his shoulders. He could feel her tighten round him, her breath quickening, till she gave one single unexpected loud scream and shook all over her body. He lasted for a few more frantic seconds, and his own moment came.

When he came to, Nyx was still lying underneath him, all smiles, taking deep breaths. She put her hand on the back of his head, pulled him to her for a kiss.

"By the Sky, I needed that so bad."

"Standing Batallion Covert Ops, at your service."

"Good to know." Nyx' eyes lit up and she licked her lips. "Again." 

* * *

Corvus woke up with a beautiful elf girl. Her head was on his shoulder, her arm lay across his chest, one of her wings lay across him almost like a blanket. It was a good way to wake up. He watched her sleeping for a while, until her nose twitched, and her eyes opened. She looked at him and smiled. It lasted for just a moment. He could almost see the shields rising, the deep layers of cynicism, of wariness, suspicion, watchfulness. Defences against a world that had it in for her. But for one small moment, she had simply been happy to see him, and he treasured the moment.

"Nyx, I love you."

Nyx looked at him for a few heartbeats, taking a slow breath. "You want to be real careful. People have come to grief telling me that."

"I believe you."

A hardness appeared in Nyx' eyes he hadn't seen before. "Don't. The last man who told me he loved me, I fucked him till he fell asleep, then I stole his dead wife's jewels and sold them. Spent half the money on the best meal in the best tavern money could buy, and slept like a baby. Don't ever trust me. I'm not the nice girl you think I am."

"But you sold the jewels where you knew he'd find them, didn't you?" Corvus stroked her hair. "I _know_ you're not a nice girl. But you're a better person than you think you are."

"Damn it, Corvus. You know sweet fuck all about me, beyond what my tits feel like in your hands. Just don't. Don't turn me into something I'm not. You'll be disappointed."

"Do you think I was born yesterday? I'm a spy. I deal with the worst scum you can imagine. I even _like_ some of them. You aren't the worst the world has to offer, not even close."

"Corvus, this is _you_ , and I owe you. So I'm warning you. Don't get too close to me. Don't get attached. Don't put your trust in me. All this. The things we did last night." Nyx grinned. "And are going to do again in a minute. It's not because I _love_ you. It's not because I want to be your girlfriend, or stars strike me down, your _wife_! I needed some happy moments, and you... you bring the _goods_. And I'm happy to return the favour. That's it. That's all. I don't _love_ you. Love is for suckers."

He said nothing for a moment. "Naimi-Selari-Nykantia. You've been _burnt._ "

She gave a small nod. "Like you wouldn't believe."

"You're too hard on yourself Nyx. Some people would have sold the little dragon to Viren without a second thought, and gotten richer than rich. You were going to bring him back to his mother."

Nyx laughed quietly. "Oh my sweet boy. If I'd strolled up to Viren with even a whiff of a hint that I knew where to find the Dragon Prince, he'd have snatched me, put me through the wringer till I'd wish there was more I could tell him, and then stuck me in one of those bloody coins just in case he wanted a midnight snack. I bring him to his mummy, and I'll be a _hero_ , and everyone thinks I'm a _good girl_. I could rob people blind for years."

"I said I love you. Not that I think you're pure as the fresh fallen snow. And I also didn't say I'll take any amount of crap from you. You make me happy when I think of you, that's all."

"Oh Corvus." Nyx climbed on top of him, looked into his eyes. "I'm not going to steal your stuff or anything. I was in the worst kind of shit, and you pulled me out. I won't just forget that. Won't forget that about Rayla either. I meant what I said. Anything you want, ask me." She looked at him expectantly. "Like, do you have anything to ask me? About nowish?"

One of Nyx' feathers was standing up and Corvus smoothed it down. "You've spoiled me for girls without wings."

"Hah! I've done more than that. I have _red_ feathers. I've spoiled you for the whites and greys."

"Ravens?"

"Oh _them_. Don't bother with them. They think they've done all they need once they take their clothes off, and the rest is up to you. Redwings put in the _effort_."

"About that..."

"Thought you'd never ask." 

* * *

Corvus had put the saddle back on Bayard's back. He was waiting for Nyx to stop searching through his saddlebag. She frowned.

"Did you find my knickers?"

"Knickers?"

"Undies." She looked at his blank stare. " _Underpants_. Did you find them?"

"Oh. No, sorry."

"Oh come on! I put them right in the middle of the road. Just so you'd hurry up."

Corvus shrugged. "Wind must have blown them away. You'll have to go commando."

"Why..." Nyx tilted her head a little. "Why don't your commanders wear underpants?"

"Not commanders, commandos. The elite warriors of the elite of the elite. If you think the Crown Guard are full of themselves, wait till you meet a commando."

"And why don't they wear any underpants?"

"They say it's to keep their nethers aired, against the jungle crotch rot."

"Jungle..." Nyx _stared_.

"Yep."

"Every time I think humans can't possibly get more disgusting..."

"Me, I think it's because it's easier to see the sun shining out of their asses."

Nyx pulled on her trousers and boots, happy in the knowledge that she wouldn't get the jungle crotch rot. She walked up to Corvus, put her arms round his waist, kissed him. She stopped, raised her head.

"My knickers are in your pocket."

"So is your hand."

They grinned at each other. Nyx patted his butt.

"Keep 'em. To remember me by."

"So many happy memories. Where are you going?"

"Midnight Desert, I think. Find my ambler and see if there's anyone I can take half way across the desert for a little money." She bit her lip. "And then the other half for a _lot_ of money."

"Supply and demand," said Corvus. "The law of commerce. Be safe, Fly-girl."

"Same to you, crow boy." 

He watched her fly off into the distance, got in the saddle, and let Bayard walk through the nice cool water for a while. He turned west towards the Breach and the rickety bridge. He looked over his shoulder once. She'd be fine. With a sigh, he turned Bayard towards home.

**Author's Note:**

> Historical notes:
> 
> The method used by Mrs. Dors to determine her poor daughter was killed by a witch, was actually used in the Netherlands. When there were still witches, obviously. The wreath of feathers in a dead one's pillow was called a "Heksenkrans," or a "Witches' Wreath." Amazingly, this method of detecting witchcraft was exactly 100% inaccurate.
> 
> The Steed Bayard. Corvus' trusty steed is named after a magical horse from the medieval tale of the Four Sons of Aymon. There are several versions of this tale, but none of them end well for the poor beast: It gets thrown into the river with a millstone tied round its neck. So strong is this horse, that it shatters the millstone with a single kick from its mighty hooves, and escapes into the Wild. Or in an alternative version, when its master Reinout can no longer bear to see its suffering, noble Bayard allows himself to be drowned.
> 
> Nyx' chest. Piece! Chest piece. I looked up on the Youtube channel of Tod's Workshop what a gambeson was made of, meaning to make Nyx' chestpiece out of the same material. I assumed it would be some sort of glue, but it's actually really wine and salt. The acid in the wine interacts with the linen and the salt makes it tough enough to offer protection against sharp things.


End file.
